On Monday, March 24, the Assembly passed several gun control bills. Most of the bills addressed issues which are already illegal under both state and federal law. It is an election year in New Jersey, and action on this package of bills appears to be more about politics than public safety. The votes largely followed party lines, with Republicans opposing and Democrats supporting the legislation—except for Democratic Assembly members David Bailey (D-3) and Heather Simmons (D-3), who voted against it, and Republican Assembly members Nancy Munoz (D-21) and Michele Matsikoudis (D-21), who voted in favor.
The following bills will now be transmitted to the Senate for further consideration.
A.4974 prescribing penalties for the sale and possession of “machine gun conversion devices.” Such devices are already banned at both the state and federal level. There has never been an explanation why this bill is necessary. Given that New Jersey’s definition would differ from the federal definition, this only makes the water murkier.
A.4975 creates a crime for the possession of digital instructions to manufacture firearms or components. This legislation creates a crime even if someone never produces a gun or component. Simply having a digital file on your computer could subject you to criminal penalties.
A.4976 establishes the crime of reckless discharge. Discharging a firearm in New Jersey is already a crime unless done “for a lawful purpose,” which is an affirmative defense. Given the lack of exceptions in both existing New Jersey law and this legislation, successfully raising such a defense would be exceedingly difficult. This is nothing more than a swipe at concealed carry. Now, every time a firearm is used, even in legitimate situations, rogue prosecutors will have even more ability to bring charges.
A.1389 requires confiscation of ammunition and certain firearms components in response to domestic violence restraining orders or convictions. Of course, New Jersey already has very harsh gun confiscation laws as they pertain to restraining orders. This bill is absurd as it would include components and accessories like spare grips, choke tubes, holsters, and slings. Keep in mind this bill applies to accusations, not just convictions. Even in cases of false accusations, surrender is ordered. We have always been clear that convicted abusers should be punished, but there must be due process.
A.5345 mandates the use of merchant consumer category codes for firearms purchases. This legislation amounts to government-sanctioned snooping. It is a dangerous bill which lays the groundwork for a gun registry and weaponizes the banking industry, leading to potential discrimination of gun owners.
Thank you to everyone who contacted their Assembly members. These bills must pass the Senate before going to the Governor. Fortunately, the Senate has not scheduled any action on the bills. Please continue to follow NRA-ILA alerts for the latest updates.
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